Snow
by Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs
Summary: She fell asleep dreaming of snowflakes. Mark/Elizabeth/Ella fluff. One-shot.


A/N: It's day 3 of the 25 days of fic, and the prompt was snow this time, so here's some Mark/Elizabeth/Ella fluff.

Disclaimer: I own not a thing.

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"It's snowing!"

Elizabeth looked up from feeding Ella to look at Mark, who was looking out the nursery window, palms pressed to the glass like a little kid. She smiled fondly, looking down when Ella squirmed, switching sides and watching as the baby latched on again, giving a small sigh of relief. They were starting to wean her off nursing, but so far, their daughter preferred her mother to solid food.

She ran her finger down Ella's cheek and sighed softly; it had been a long day, and she was looking forward to curling up with her husband in the warmth of their bed. She looked up when Mark came to stand next to her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head before kissing Ella's head as well.

Ella finished eating with a soft sigh, and Elizabeth fixed her shirt as Mark lifted Ella up to burp her; Elizabeth watched her husband rock Ella gently as he patted her back, murmuring softly to her. She bit her lip against the smile; Mark was a natural, and she loved watching him be a father to their daughter.

"What do you say we show her snow for the first time?" Mark asked quietly, coming to help her stand up. She frowned, one hand resting on Ella's stomach; she was sleepy but awake, murmuring quietly in her dad's arms.

"But Mark it's cold-"

"We'll put a hat on her, she'll be fine," he reassured her, leaning forward to kiss away the frown. "It'll only be for a minute or two."

Elizabeth wavered for a moment before relenting, taking Ella from Mark and putting another pair of socks on her and bundling her up in a thick sweater and placing a hat on her head. Wrapped in her own thick sweater she followed Mark downstairs, cradling Ella to her chest and pressing kisses to her head.

Mark's hand rested in the center of her back as he left them outside onto the back deck, fat white snowflakes falling from the sky and sticking to the grass of the backyard and the wood of the deck. Elizabeth shifted Ella so that she could see the snow, smiling at the baby's wide eyes.

"This is snow Ella," Elizabeth said, watching as Ella lifted a hand towards the sky, as though to grab the flakes that kept steadily falling. Elizabeth caught Mark's eyes and grinned, leaning forward to press her lips to his quickly, a promise for later in the kiss.

"When you're bigger, we can make snowmen, and snow angels, and have snowball fights, Ella," Mark said, touching his daughter's cheek gently, delight in his eyes as he watched her try to grab the snowflakes that caught in Elizabeth's thick curls. "And maybe when your big sister comes out to visit sometime, she can help us."

Elizabeth bounced Ella slightly and the baby smiled, releasing a quiet giggle and reaching for her mom's face, bubbles gurgling in the corners of her mouth. Mark pressed a kiss to her head, contentedness swirling around the tiny family.

"C'mon; let's put you to bed baby girl," he murmured, guiding his wife back inside, the warmth of the house enveloping them. Together they put Ella to bed, watching the baby drift off quietly, her music box playing softly in the background.

They made it halfway down the hall before Mark was pressing Elizabeth against the wall and she was sliding her hands under his shirt; they'd been desperate all day, and now that they were home they were free to touch as they wished.

After a shower they curled up under the covers and Elizabeth relished the feel of Mark's skin pressed against hers; she burrowed into his embrace, sighing softly. He smelled like soap and musk and the essence that was her husband, and she didn't think she'd ever get tired of smelling him. His hands rubbed up her spine, warm and calloused, making her drowsy in his embrace.

"I can't wait to do all those things with Ella," he murmured and she made a noise of agreement, already halfway to sleep. Mark's lips brushed her ear and she snuggled closer; his hands pressed her tighter. "What do you say we get a babysitter for Ella and go away this weekend? We're both off, and there's a lodge about an hour away we could stay at."

Elizabeth dragged herself away from the edge of sleep to meet his eyes, seeing the seriousness in them.

"Really?" she asked, one hand resting on his chest, feeling his heart beat under her fingers. He nodded and she shrugged, nodding as well. "I could do with a week away."

Mark relaxed and gave her a smile, kissing her nose.

"I'll make reservations tomorrow," he replied, and she snuggled back into his arms, legs tangling with his. "I really love the snow, Elizabeth. And I love you."

She fell asleep dreaming of snowflakes.


End file.
